Santorum: Perry's the real 'insider'

Besides Mitt Romney, Rick Perry’s main punching bag of the week has been Rick Santorum — he’s taken earmarks, and served in both the House and Senate.

At his first appearance in the state Wednesday, Santorum shot back. Responding to a question from POLITICO, Santorum said “Rick Perry requested 1,200 earmarks … as governor of Texas.”

“And Rick Perry’s been in politics in Texas for 25 years,” Santorum said. “So he’s been in public life more than anybody else running for president. It’s sort of hard in public life and elected office for 25 years to be the outsider when he also requested earmarks, over 1,000 earmarks from Washington, D.C.”

Santorum again defended earmarks, saying it’s a “responsibility” of elected officials.

Asked by POLITICO if he was an insider, Santorum, who served two terms in the House and Senate, brushed it off.

“Ha! You look at my record, I’ve been as much a reformer and someone whose been able to shake things up both from the inside and outside better than anyone else,” Santorum said. “But do I have experience, you bet I do, and it’s good experience, and we need one as commander in chief.”